Coaches Poll | Media Poll | NCAA Stats

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - After making the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2009 and advancing to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the first time since 2008, the Navy men's lacrosse program closed out the 2016 campaign ranked among the top 15 in both the coaches and media polls. It's the first time the Mids have finished the season ranked in either poll since 2009 (#12 USILA).

Eclipsing the 10-win mark for the first time since 2009 (11-5), Navy produced an 11-5 record that featured a 7-1 mark in Patriot League action as the Mids claimed their second consecutive share of the Patriot League regular-season crown. They earned an at-large bid in the 2016 NCAA Tournament and upset fourth-seeded Yale, 13-10, on the Bulldogs' home field. A week later, the Mids came up just short of making their first trip to Championship Weekend since 2004 when they succumbed to fifth-seeded Brown in the NCAA Quarterfinals, 11-10.

The Mids, led by two-time Patriot League Coach of the Year Rick Sowell, were rewarded by the media for their performance during the postseason tournament shooting up to #9 in the final Cascade/Maverik Media Poll distributed by Inside Lacrosse. Navy was one of two Patriot League teams to appear in the final poll, joining fourth-ranked Loyola.

Meanwhile, Navy finished the season ranked 15th in the USILA/Nike Coaches Poll which is determined prior to the start of the NCAA Tournament.

Four of Navy's regular-season opponents were among the NCAA Tournament field - Maryland (finalist), Loyola (semifinalist), Air Force and Johns Hopkins.

The NCAA also released the final team and individual stats for the 2016 season. Navy finished the year among the top half of the team rankings in 10 of the 15 categories, including five top-20 marks. All-Americans Chris Fennell (Jr., Milford, N.J.) and Matt Rees (Jr., Sykesville, Md.), along with Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year John Connors (Sr., Bellmore, N.Y.) helped anchor a defensive unit that held 10 of its 16 opponents to nine goals or less and allowed an average of 7.38 goals per game. It's the Mids' lowest goals-against average since they surrendered a stingy 6.50 goals per game in 2008. Navy (16 gms), Monmouth (14 gms) and Detroit (12 gms) allowed the fewest goals in the country this season with 118.

Connors closed out his career ranked #2 in the country with his 7.25 goals-against average this spring. He stood #9 in save percentage (56.8) and thanks in part to a spectacular 21-save effort against Brown, he moved up to #35 in saves per game (9.63).

Additionally, Fennell (#30, 1.44) and Rees (#16, 1.63) joined forces with short-stick defensive midfielder DJ Plumer (So., Stevensville, Md.) (#36, 1.38) to guide the Mids to a #12 ranking in caused turnovers (7.81). All three players finished the season ranked among the top 40, while all three also amassed more takeaways than any player on the roster a year ago.

The Mids finished among the top 20 in faceoff percentage for the third consecutive season after having not finished among the top 20 since 2008 prior to the run. Brady Dove (Jr., Stevensville, Md.) won 57.9 percent (158-273) of his draws on the year to finish 17th nationally, while teaming up with Joe Varello (So., Kings Park, N.Y.) (26-50, 52.) and Sean Reilly (Sr., Doylestown, Pa.) (1-4, 25.0) to lead Navy to a #12 ranking (185-327, 56.6).

Navy also finished among the top 20 in scoring margin (#17, +2.50) and winning percentage (#14, 68.8). The Mids' +2.50 scoring margin was their best since closing out the 2007 season with a +4.40 average, while their 9.88 goals per game marked Navy's best scoring output since that same season when it averaged 11.00 goals per game.

The Mids just missed a top-20 mark in ground balls per game, averaging 29.63 to finish 21st. Dove and Rees were among the nation's top 50 with Dove leading the way with his 5.44 average to rank 17th and Rees finishing 41st with a 3.88 average.

Senior co-captain Patrick Keena (Vienna, Va.) finished 16th in assists per game (1.94) which is the best Navy ranking since 2012 when Tucker Hull averaged 2.00 assists per game. Additionally, Keena was 45th in points per game (3.44) and is the first Mid to finish the season ranked among the top 50 since Hull closed out the 2012 season ranked 13th averaging 3.92 points per game.

All-American Casey Rees (So., Sykesville, Md.) enjoyed a breakout season for Navy as a first-year starter at midfield. As the team's third-leading scorer with 38 points, he did most of his damage in the form of his team-high 34 goals. The 34 goals are tied as the 15th most in school history and most since 2004 when Ian Dingman targeted 36 and Joe Bossi scored 44. Meanwhile, the 34 goals are the third most in program history by a midfielder behind Brian Keith's 41 in 1989 and Bob DeSimone's 37 in 1975.

He catapulted into the nation's top 50 in goals per game following his 9 combined goals against Yale (4) and Brown (5) which tied the school record for most goals in an NCAA Tournament (season), a mark set by Mike Hannan in 1978. Ranked #44 with a 2.13 goals per game average, he is the first Navy player to finish the season ranked among the top 50 since Ian Dingman averaged 2.20 goals per game in 2007 and was tied for 19th.

### Go Navy ###